- Semimetals promise more effective conductivity that surpasses copper in energy consumption
- Copper’s restrictions drives the search for semimetals like niobium phosphid
- Niobiumphosphid performs electricity better, even at nanometer thicknesses
For almost two centuries, copper has been the standard of electrical conductivity used in wires, microelectronics and computing – but when electronic devices become portable power plants, it is clear that copper reaches its physical boundaries.
To this end, recent research at Stanford University has shown that niobium phosphid can surpass copper in ultra -thin films, making it a promising candidate for nanoskala electronics.
Researchers are exploring semimetals as a potential alternative because these materials have unique electronic properties that can improve efficiency, minimize energy loss and improve the benefit of the next generation technology.
Locking of new options for conductivity
Unlike traditional metals, semimetals such as niobium phosphid exhibit characteristic band structures and topological properties, enabling improved electron transport.
Niobium phosphid (NBP) Thin film exhibits much lower resistivity than copper on nanometer scales. When the film thickness falls, NBP’s resistivity also drops and reaches only one sixth of copper resistivity at a similar thickness.
At about 1.5 nanometers, NBP has a resistivity of approx. 34 microohm centimeters at room temperature, which significantly surpasses the copper’s resistivity of about 100 micohm centimeters in similar scales.
“Better materials could help us spend less energy in small wires and more energy that actually makes calculation,” said Eric Pop, a professor at Stanford’s School of Engineering.
The problem with copper is that it becomes less effective as it becomes thinner, especially below 50 nanometers, and struggles to handle fast electrical signals, resulting in energy loss as heat, yet the Stanford team discovered that NBP, even at only five nanometer thick, performs electricity more efficiently than copper due to its topological nature, where the outer surface of the material is more conductive than its core.
“Now we have another class of materials – these topological semimetals – that can potentially act as a way to reduce energy consumption in electronics,” said Akash Ramdas, a doctorate scientist involved in the study.
One of the most important benefits of niob -phosphid is its compatibility with existing semiconductor technologies as it can be deposited at only 400 ° C, a temperature low enough to avoid damaging silicon chips. This means that it could be integrated into current manufacturing processes without requiring expensive redesigns.
The Stanford team is now exploring other topological semimetals that can further improve performance and efficiency.
“This kind of breakthrough in non-crystalline materials could help tackle power and energy challenges in both current and future electronics,” POP explained.
However, there are challenges in making NBP a viable commercial material, such as maintaining the correct laying tolerances during production, as variations in the thickness of the seed -nb layer can affect the resistivity and quality of the NBP film.
As the demand for smaller, faster and more energy -efficient units grows, semimetals could play a crucial role in the design of the future of microelectronics. If research continues to move on, Nanometer-Tyk Semimetal leaders can soon replace copper in high performance computing, setting a new standard for electrical conductivity.
Via IEEE SPECTRUM
